LA MUSIQUE AUX ÉTATS-UNIS

COMMUNICATION DE M. E. BURLINGHAM HILL Professeur de Musique à l’Université Harvard (États-Unis).

The serious study of music in the United States has existed for scarcely more than fifty years. Musical affairs, as in England until recently, hâve been largely under the control of foreigners. For long the german influence was dominant, fortunately the french culture is beginning to gain the ascendant.

College musical departments, beginning at Harvard and extending to Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Ann Arbor, etc., hâve developed many of the most successful composers and hâve trained thousands of students to became intelligent listeners. John Knowles Paine, professer of music at Harvard, the first American composer of adéquate technique and serious aims. Many American composers his pupils, su ch as Arthur Foote (songs and chamber music), Clayton Jolms (songs), Daniel GregoryMason (chamber music, a symphony), F. S. Conouse (orchestral Works, choral works, opéras), John Alden Carpenter (songs, orchestral works, a ballet), etc. Horatio Parker at Yale, chiefly known for an oratorio : H or a Novissima, trained David Stanley Smith (orchestral works) and others. George Chadwick, director of New England Conservatory at Boston, showed American traits in orchestral and chamber works. His pupil Henry Hadley has developed great facility in orchestral works and opéra. Edward Mac Dowell, professer of music at Columbia until 1907,

showed coloristic qualities in songs, pianoforte pièces and orchestral Works.

Charles Martin Loeffler, bom in Mulhouse i86i, the most eminent composer in America for polished style, subtlety of expression and mastery of technique. Best known for songs, chamber music and orchestral works.

Henry F. Gilbert has tried to avoid European influence by using negro, indian (Chants des Peaux- Rouges) and creole thèmes in orchestral works, including a ballet The Dance at Place Congo.

In general, american compose^ hâve not been able to avoid marked influence of german or french music as to style, but succeed in attaining some expression of american traits. As Americans take a larger part in musical life, they may be expected to evolve a more personal style.

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